El Fuego Mexican Restaurant Delights with Food, Decor

With
few windows facing the street and an entryway comprised of heavy wooden
doors, the exterior of El Fuego resembles an oversized Spanish Colonial
hacienda. Inside,
however, things change dramatically. The theme is Disney-style Mexican,
featuring two dining rooms painted in village scenes. The outdoor patio
is complete with fireplaces, palm trees and a cascading waterfall that
plunges into a pool filled with koi. A strong focus on decorative
themes often means uninspired food—the Chi-Chi’s syndrome—but the menu
at El Fuego actually lives up to the decor.

Though El Fuego is a large
place, there is an army of servers and a kitchen that is up to the
task. Salsa and a basket of fresh tortilla chips are whisked to the
table. The salsa is a tomato red that resembles a Chili’s mild, but
isn’t. Actually, it has a pleasant balance of spice that would rank as
medium-hot. And the chips are always fresh. How about the Mercado
Fresco? The guacamole is quite passable; it’s a bit
runny, but there still are chunks of avocado. Some serrano pepper would be welcome, though.

Servings
tend to be large. Pulpo ceviche ($7.95) arrives like a seafood
cocktail, with minced pieces of octopus marinated in lime juice along
with onion, cilantro, red pepper and a few slices of avocado. Bits of
jicama add some sweetness. The ceviche could use a little more spice
and citrus flavor. Still, this large serving, which arrives with a
supply of chips, offers plenty to share.

The shrimp cocktail
($7.95-$10.95) is a better option. The serving is filled with shelled
medium shrimp, chopped onion and fresh, pungent cilantro. The shrimp
comes in a tomato sauce that is properly sweet, and there is enough hot
pepper sauce that most people won’t want to add any extra (though every
table features bottled hot sauce). Only the most ravenous should
consider the larger serving, as there are ample amounts of shrimp.

The
menu continues with tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, more seafood dishes and
a good number of meat entrees. The fish selections of tilapia, salmon
and trout do not seem particularly Mexican, but the whole red snapper
does.

Everybody should try the mole. Pollo con mole poblano ($11.95) is
the classic dish originated in the city of Puebla. Mole poblano is a
delicious sauce of chocolate and peanuts, different from the more
bittersweet Oaxacan mole negro. Commercial mole poblanos can be overly
sweet and lacking in chocolate flavor, but this version, which is made
here, is rich, intense and rather wonderful. The mole and a sprinkling
of white sesame seeds mesh well with the half chicken with the bones
in. The sides of orange-colored rice, though, are better companions for
burritos and enchiladas than dishes of this stature.

The tacos
al pastor ($8.95), unfortunately, somewhat misses the mark. The pork
should be imbued with mild chiles; instead of an earthy reddish-brown,
however, these slices of meat have an orange hue the color of the rice.
The meat is lean, but too many pieces of fat remain. On the plus side,
they are served properly on double tortillas with chopped cilantro,
onion and a wedge of avocado. These are not bad tacos at all—the
flavors simply do not say “al pastor.”

The pork pastor does
just fine in other items. It is perfectly at home in the traditional
enchiladas ($10.95), which benefit from a bold red sauce. And
tamales ($8.95) seldom get this good. The pork is at its most tender
and aromatic, with the addition of cumin, in this plate of three large
tamales that are made in the kitchen.

There is a separate
margarita menu with many premium tequila options. The mix is a standard
tart one. The servers are thoughtful and attentive, and the kitchen is
very efficient. A 30-minute lunch is definitely possible.

In
all, El Fuego is as pleasant as it is attractive, with affordable
prices and authentic character. Sit underneath a palm tree near the
waterfall and imagine that the occasional aircraft noise is the sound
of the surf crashing at Puerto Vallarta.